Hold the Fish.

My latest postcard, completed in December. The theme was "Hold the fish." Really.

She wanted to travel

A postcard from October. The theme had something to do with creating "postage stamp head people." :-)

The writing says:

"It was doomed from the start.

"She wanted to travel.

"He didn't want children."

Back in the art-saddle again!

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Swap theme: What's in Your Head?

OK, that was a lame title, but it's true. It's been months since I've found the time to do any art. Larry Gene, my family and going back to work full time keep me plenty busy! I forced myself to get out the Exacto knife and PVA adhesive by signing up for three fun postcard swaps. This is the first, completed last weekend.

(And, yes, that's my son in the picture! Isn't he adorable? He smiles all the time!)

My Cutie Pie!

My clever son has a sly little smile that promises lots of eye-winking trouble later on!

He is loved so much.

Photo taken in September 2007, 3 months old

My beautiful baby boy

Larry Gene, you have my heart forever!

Born June 4, 2007. 7 lbs 13 oz, 19 3/4 inches.

Fairieland Postcard

This is my latest postcard for my Letterheads art group with a "fairieland" theme. I was aiming to not make your typical cutsie fairy images. And in Letterheads, there are always some words or phrases included.

What is the Question?

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My contribution to a Shakespeare-themed postcard swap.

Little Clipboard

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On the left is the front of a custom clipboard I made for another artist in a swap. I glued fancy paper to chipboard, distressed it in chalk and some inks and added words and images. I used Modge Podge to give it a final finish durabality.

Mona Lisa Altered

An irreverent postcard swap from my Letterheads art group. She was fun to make! I've received some really neat ones in return from the other players.

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The words along the side say:

"Lusciously embroidered with a creamy rococo floral pattern, thisgolden mule must-have had a devasting effect as it dangled fromthe foot of an eighteenth century coquette."

Art Quotes, an ATC swap

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Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)

Mark Twain postcard

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The postcard above was created for a Mark Twain postcard swap on one of my art groups. The rule was have at least one of Mark Twain's quotes included. Mine says:

"If you tell the truth,

You don't have to remember anything!"

The background was made using a replica of the Territorial Enterprise and Virginia City News, for which Mark Twain once wrote in the 1860s. The image of Twain on the left is a print over vellum, creating slight transparency effect. It's hard to read, but the tag at the bottom says "The Good Old Days."

Monte's Fairyland swap

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Monte's latest set of ATCs, completed tonight. The swap, from one of my art groups, is called "Fairyland."

The pictures just don't do justice to Monte's creative mind. Some of these gorgeous cards have fairies "hiding" underneath elements that can be lifted to see the complete picture, such as with the single blade of grass on the first card, and the autumn leaf on the fifth card.

Also, the mermaid fairy is "underneath" a sheer overlay transparency printed with a circle design in blue, giving the effect of depth and water.

The swap called for six cards, but as usual, I had to steal one for my collection! Can you guess which one I kept? :-) It was a tough decision!

Finally back at the drawing board!

After a long, wintry hiatus, I'm slowly getting back into creating art! It feels wonderful, and it's a nice change of pace to be doing this again instead of freshly mourning for the loss of our loved ones last year.

Plus, Baby Larry joins me now (still in my belly), and makes everything so much more special! (Soon, my next project will be decorating his room!)

This piece is a Winter Art Doll for one of my art groups. I will be sending her off to my partner very soon. Although this doll is supposed to have a winter theme, I couldn't seem to glue down anything but these colors! I love them. Perhaps a burst of winter florals?

It's the Monster Mash!!!

Click on the image above for full-size version.

One of my favorite sets to date! Monte's latest Artist Trading Cards offering is awesome 3D eye candy!

It might be difficult to see in these flat photos, but Monte recreated these 1950s favorite horror movie posters by taking the main image in the poster and overlaying it on chipboard before attaching it to the full poster underneath. He shadowed the edges first with black ink before gluing to the card.

The effect is a miniature movie poster with a tantalizing 3D feel to it. Too bad he's got to send these off! (But not before I snagged an extra "Creature" card!)

Put a little Zetti on!

Here is a Zetti doll I made for a swap. She's about 11 inches high and I used acrylic paints, paper and embellishments on mat board.

Trying new styles and techniques, really. I wanted to incorporate pen and ink (well, paints) a la Claudine Hellmuth. I'm also learning how to use my scanner better!








Words say: "All is well"


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Can't Stop a Good Artist!

Monte's third set of ATCs! He has really come to enjoy making these little art cards and we both enjoy working on our projects together. As soon as he finished this series, which is for a swap called "Cartoons," he was chomping at the bit to join another swap (which he did tonight)!

I think I've got him hooked...

Silver Dollar City preserved

Here are two ATCs from a batch of seven I made for a swap themed "Labels and Ticket Mania."

The rule was to use some sort of authentic ticket or label on the cards, and I decided to take our family's Silver Dollar City entry tickets and turn them into some art.

The background was cut from the retail sacks I saved from Silver Dollar City -- which I love because they have that old-time newspaper look -- and I punched the tickets into the shape of tags, which can be rotated on the brad so you can see the back.

Monte strikes again!

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That talented husband of mine! He just keeps getting more creative all of the time! Here's his latest batch of ATCs he made for an official swap in an art group (with a hostess other than myself). Can you guess the theme?

Pay close attention to these cards -- there's such detail in them! For example, Monte used miniature -- and I mean TINY -- buttons for the checkers pieces (ATCs are only 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches).

He used miniature Scrabble tiles we happened to find in a craft supply store. The Candyland game has copies of original game pieces glued to cardstock and raised above the card with foam.

Monte used several symbolic doodads and a variety of fun pieces to highlight the theme of the various games (finding the backgrounds alone was an interesting challenge!), and he finished each card with a clever sentiment.

Great job, Honey!